Copy of `MediChecks - Medical glossary`

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MediChecks - Medical glossary Category: Health and Medicine Date & country: 06/01/2008, UK Words: 1901

Nephrotic syndrome
symptoms that result from damage to the filtering units of the kidney

Nephroblastoma
a fast-growing cancer of the kidneys that occurs most commonly in children under 4 years of age

Nephrolithotomy
surgical removal of a kidney stone

Nephrons
the tiny filtering units of the kidney

Neoplasm
another term for a tumour

Nephrectomy
the surgical removal of one or both kidneys

Nephritis
inflammation of one or both kidneys because of an infection, an abnormal immune system response, or a disorder of metabolism

Needle aspiration
the use of a thin, hollow needle and syringe to remove body fluid for examination

Needle biopsy
the use of a hollow, wide-diameter needle to remove a sample of tissue for examination

Neonate
a term used to describe a new-born infant from birth to 1 month of age

Necrosis
the medical term for the death of tissue cells

Nebulizer
an instrument that provides a drug in its misted form through a face mask; used for severe asthma attacks and for children who have asthma but cannot use an inhaler

Nausea
feeling the need to vomit

Natural methods of family planning
methods of planning a family that focus on a woman's time of ovulation, either so that pregnancy can be avoided or conception is likely

Natural childbirth
a technique of giving birth that stresses relaxation techniques so that the use of pain-relieving drugs can be minimised; also called prepared childbirth

Nasogastric tube
a thin, plastic tube that is inserted through the nose, down the oesophagus, and into the stomach; used to drain, wash, or take samples from the stomach, or to feed very sick patients who cannot eat

Nasopharynx
the passageway connecting the back of the nose to the top of the throat

Nasal septum
the section of the nose that divides the left and right nostrils; made of cartilage and bone and covered by a mucous membrane

Narcotic analgesics
a type of painkiller that blocks the transmission of pain signals in the brain; often cause tolerance (the need for higher amounts of the drug to produce the same effect) and drug dependence

Narcotic
an addictive substance that blunts the senses; can cause confusion, stupor, coma, and death with increased dosages

Narcolepsy
a disorder that causes excessive sleepiness during the day and frequent and uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep

Narcosis
a drug (or other chemical)-induced drowsiness or stupor

Myopia
the medical term for near-sightedness

Myositis
muscle inflammation, causing pain and weakness

Myringotomy
a surgical opening in the eardrum that allows for drainage

Myxoma
a noncancerous tumour made of mucous material and fibrous connective tissue

Myopathy
a muscle disease, usually one that results in the deterioration of muscle

Myocardium
the medical term for heart muscle

Myomectomy
the surgical removal of a noncancerous tumour from muscle

Myocarditis
inflammation of the heart muscle, which can be caused by a virus, certain drugs, or radiation therapy

Myocardial infarction
the death of an area of heart muscle as a result of being deprived of its blood supply; characterised by severe pain in the chest; commonly called a heart attack

Myelosclerosis
build-up of fibrous connective tissue in the bone marrow, affecting the production of blood components

Myeloma
a cancer affecting cells in the bone marrow; sometimes used as an abbreviation for multiple myeloma

Myelocele
protrusion of the spinal cord and its coverings out from the spine; one of the more severe forms of spina bifida

Myelitis
inflammation of the spinal cord, which can cause headaches, fever, muscle stiffness, pain, weakness, and eventually paralysis

Mydriatic
a drug that causes the pupil to dilate (widen)

Myelin sheath
the fat

Mycoplasma
the smallest free-living micro-organisms

Mycosis
any disease caused by a fungus

Mycobacterium
a type of slow-growing bacterium; resistant to the body's defence mechanisms and are responsible for diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy

Myasthenia gravis
a disease in which the muscles, mainly those in the face, eyes, throat, and limbs, become weak and tire quickly; caused by the body's immune system attacking the receptors in the muscles that pick up nerve impulses

Mutation
a change in the genetic information within a cell

Myalgia
the medical term for muscle pain

Muscular dystrophy
a rare genetic disorder in which muscles degenerate gradually and strength is lost

Mutagen
anything that can increase the rate of abnormal change in cells, which can lead to cancer

Muscle tone
the natural tension in resting muscles

Muscle wasting
the degeneration of a muscle (loss of bulk), caused by disease or starvation

Muscle fibres
specialised, contracting cells that are bundled together to form muscles

Muscle relaxants
a group of drugs used to relieve muscle spasm and to treat conditions such as arthritis, back pain, and nervous system disorders such as stroke and cerebral palsy

Murmur
a characteristic sound (heard through a stethoscope) of blood flowing irregularly through the heart; can be harmless or may be an indication of disease

Mumps
a viral infection that causes inflammation of salivary glands; primarily affects children

Multiple-gated acquisition scan
a technique for evaluating heart efficiency by measuring blood flow into and out of the heart

Multiple sclerosis
a disease in which the protective coverings (myelin) of nerve fibres in the brain are gradually destroyed; symptoms vary from numbness to paralysis and loss of control of bodily function

Multiple pregnancy
the presence of more than one foetus in the uterus, such as occurs with twins

Multiple myeloma
a cancer that causes uncontrolled production of white blood cells in the bone marrow

Mucus
a slippery fluid produced by mucous membranes that lubricates and protects the internal surfaces of the body

Multi-infarct dementia
dementia caused by multiple strokes

Mucous membrane
the soft, pink layer of cells that produce mucus in order to keep body structures lubricated; found in structures such as the eyelids, respiratory tract, and urinary tract

Mucolytic
a drug that lessens the sticky quality of phlegm and makes it easier to cough up

Mucocele
a sac or body cavity that is swollen because of the production of mucus by the cells in its lining

MRI
see Magnetic resonance imaging

MS
see Multiple sclerosis

Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
a method of artificial breathing in which someone rhythmically forces air into the lungs of a person who has stopped breathing

Motor nerve
a nerve that carries messages to a muscle that cause the muscle to contract

Motor neurone disease
degeneration of the nerves in the spinal cord and brain that are responsible for muscle movement, causing weakness and muscle deterioration

Mortality
the death rate, measured as the number of deaths per a certain population; may describe the population as a whole, or a specific group within a population (such as infant mortality)

Morning sickness
nausea and vomiting experienced early in a pregnancy, affecting about half of all pregnant women

Morbidity
the state of being ill or having a disease

Monounsaturated fat
a type of fat that is thought to be beneficial in the prevention of coronary heart disease; found in foods such as olive oil and peanut oil

Mononucleosis
an infection caused by a virus that invades a type of white blood cell called a monocyte, causing fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes

Mongolian spot
a brown to blue-black spot on the lower back and buttocks at birth, caused by a concentration of pigment-producing cells; usually disappears by the age of 3 or 4 years

Molluscum contagiosum
a viral infection that causes white bumps on the skin; usually clears up in a few months

Mole
a brown to dark-brown spot on the skin that can be flat or raised

Molecule
the smallest unit of a substance that possesses its characteristics

Molar tooth
large, strong teeth at the back of the jaw, primarily used to grind food

Modified radical mastectomy
a treatment for breast cancer in which the entire breast, a section of the chest muscle, and lymph nodes in the chest and underarm are removed

Mitral valve prolapse
a common condition in which the mitral valve in the heart is deformed, causing blood to leak back across the valve; characterised by a heart murmur and sometimes chest pain and disturbed heart rhythm

Mitral valve
the valve in the heart that allows blood to flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle, but prevents blood from flowing back in

Mitral stenosis
a condition in which the mitral valve in the heart becomes narrowed, making the heart work harder to pump blood; can lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath

Mitral insufficiency
a problem with the ability of the mitral valve in the heart to close, which causes the heart to pump harder and reduces its efficiency

Mitosis
the process by which most cells divide in order to reproduce

Miscarriage
expulsion of a foetus before it has developed sufficiently to survive on its own

Mites
small eight-legged animals, many of which burrow and feed on blood

Miotic
a drug that causes the pupil to constrict

Minipill
an oral contraceptive containing only the synthetic hormone progesterone (birth control pills contain oestrogen and progesterone)

Migraine
a severe headache, usually accompanied by vision problems and/or nausea and vomiting, and that typically recurs

Mineral
a substance that is a necessary part of a healthy diet (such as potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, and magnesium)

Midwifery
a profession concerned with providing care to a mother and baby during pregnancy and childbirth

Middle ear effusion
the build-up of fluid in the middle ear, which can affect hearing

Middle ear
the small cavity between the eardrum and inner ear; contains three tiny, linked bones that transmit sound to the inner ear

Micturition syncope
fainting or feeling weak while standing at the toilet; caused by an abnormal heartbeat or a drop in blood pressure

Microdiskectomy
surgical removal of the protruding part of a prolapsed disk

Microsurgery
a surgical technique that uses a special binocular microscope to operate on tiny, delicate, or hard-to-reach tissues

Microbiology
the study of micro-organisms

Microcephaly
an abnormally small head

Micro-organism
any tiny, single-celled organism (such as a bacterium, virus, or fungus)

Microbe
another term for a micro-organism, especially one that causes disease

Metered-dose inhaler
an inhaler that gives a specific amount of medication with each use

Metabolite
any substance that takes part in a chemical reaction in the body

Metabolism
a general term for all of the chemical processes that occur in the body